if it's your tale or mine
by FierySprites
Summary: Kaede and Shuichi are feeling a little down about the whole Killing Game situation they're in – but luckily, Makoto and Hajime are there to cheer them up. [DRV3 Demo AU, Two-Shot]
1. Kaede & Makoto

**if it's your tale or mine**

 _ **Chapter 1**_ _  
Kaede & Makoto_

(Uploaded on October 11, 2018)

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 **Notes:** This fic is set in an alternate version of _Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony,_ based off the demo version's premise of having Makoto and Hajime basically 'guiding' the new protagonist(s) around. (As for how they got there, don't ask.)

The timeframe for this fic is around Chapter 1 – after the motive is revealed, but prior to the murder. Makoto is rooming with Kaede; Hajime is rooming with Shuichi.

The title is derived from the lyrics to _Blink of an Eye,_ a Sonic fan song. (Because why not?)

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 **[Kaede]**

 **Dormitory – Kaede's Room**

Monokuma's a bit of a jerk.

I realize that's pretty obvious at this point, but seriously—not giving Makoto and Hajime their own room just because it's 'inconvenient' for him is just… ugh! It makes me hate this Ultimate Academy and this whole Killing Game even more than I already do. Especially when slotting them into this 'game' isn't as 'inconvenient' for him to do at all! Sheesh!

Though, if I'm being honest… I am glad for Makoto's presence. Along with Shuichi (and Hajime, I guess), they've been a kind of sturdy rock for me to hold onto – or maybe it's the other way around, in Shuichi's case anyway. It's hard enough being a leader when you have people like Miu and Kokichi and Angie running about – and that's not even mentioning the whole time limit thing Monokuma's imposed on us.

…one day. That's all we have right now.

One more day before we're all executed.

One more day until all our lives—my life, my _friends'_ lives—are over.

One more day until Monokuma finally _wins._

"H-Hey…" Makoto's voice suddenly broke through the silence of my thoughts. "Are… Are you okay there, Kaede?" I looked up at him from my bed; he seemed pretty worried based on his expression. "Is something bothering you? I've been trying to get your attention for a while, but…"

"N-No, it—it's fine!" I tried to soothe him, waving my hands in the air. "I—I was just thinking, t-that's all!" I must've been pretty deep in thought, if what he said was true. Hehe… It's—kinda embarrassing, huh?

"Well, that's alright," Makoto said, a little relieved. "Everyone needs a little time to think every now and then. I remember I had moments like that back at Hope's Peak." He sat down next to me, a fond smile perched on his face. "I can't imagine that this whole situation hasn't been tough on you, too."

"You're not wrong there." I frowned. I tried not to think about it, but my mind just kept coming back to Monokuma's twisted motive. _We only have a little over twenty-four hours left. Twenty-four hours._ I don't think I've ever been so terrified of a single number before.

I can tell everyone else is a little anxious, too. Kaito's having trouble staying upbeat, Miu's language is getting increasingly more vulgar, Tenko's looking more nervous and ready to fight… The time limit's hanging over all of us, and Monokuma knows it.

"Are you worried about Monokuma's motive?" I blinked in surprise – Makoto had hit the jackpot right on the dot. Then again… it's not exactly that hard to guess, given everything's that going on.

"…yeah," I admitted. "It's just that… we know that Monokuma has the power to execute us all if he ever wanted. I mean, you saw those Exisals." I think even Gonta would have trouble taking one of those things down, and he's practically superhuman! "We really only have our plan to catch the mastermind of this game, but… will it really be enough?"

"It will be!" Makoto proclaimed confidently. "This is our hope to save everyone! There's no way it can fail – you and Shuichi are the ones who came up with it after all!" His bright, optimistic character could've actually dwarfed mine, really – I thought I was pretty outgoing, but for a supposedly 'ordinary guy', he's really good at helping us all. (He's a lot like me, in that regard.)

Even so though… "But… what if our deductions are wrong? What if there _isn't_ a mastermind at all?" I wanted to hold this back, I really did, but… I—I just couldn't. My hands started shaking, completely against my will. "What if—what if nothing happens and we, we just…! …we just die?"

My brave front—the one I constantly put up in front of everyone, the one I keep up despite all my fears—finally began to fall apart. I was scared. I was really scared. I… I don't think I've ever had my whole body shake this hard.

Everything just came rushing to me.

The locker.

The Exisals.

Monokuma.

The time limit.

The plan we concocted.

And all the hopelessness we're facing.

All at once, I just felt overwhelmed. Were… Were we destined to just die here? Die in this prison for the whims of a twisted, demented bear? Die here, never to see my friends and family again?

…is this my fate as the **Ultimate Pianist**?

"…I'm scared, Makoto," I quietly confessed, clutching my right arm as tightly as I could. (I still kept tremoring, though. I just couldn't stop.) "I don't want to die. I want to live, with everyone else, and survive this killing game. I want to keep playing piano, and keep being friends with everyone, and, and…"

I closed my eyes. "…I just… don't want to die here."

Silence filled the room again. I… I hadn't thought that I'd release all of my feelings just like that. This whole Killing Game has really gotten to me, huh? Somehow, I… I feel a little better, though I'm still pretty nervous over everything.

…I wonder what Makoto thinks about all of this.

"…I had a friend, once," he suddenly stated. I opened my eyes and turned toward Makoto, whose face was deep in thought—like mine had been earlier. "We didn't get to know each other for too long, but… I'd like to believe we were pretty close." I think this was a story from his own 'game'; he and Hajime hadn't really said a lot about their own respective Killing Games, so this was pretty new. "I tried to keep both our hopes up, but eventually, she wasn't able to take it anymore. She lost hope… and sometimes I wish I could turn back the clock and give it all back to her."

"That's… That's sad," I replied. Momentarily, I wondered what she was like. Was she nice? Was she musically inclined like me? "What… What happened to her?"

"She… She died. Murdered, actually."

Oh.

 _Oh._

"…I'm—I'm sorry about that," I said. I… I didn't know _that_ had happened.

"It's fine. It was… a while back, so it's nothing too bad now. I was pretty devastated when it happened, though. I remember wondering if—if it was all just a lie, just something that couldn't be possible in this academy of despair."

I… I wonder what he means, when he says 'if it was all just a lie.' Somehow, I—I don't think I want to know, really.

"But… I remembered all the good times we shared before, and I promised to myself that I'd keep her and everybody else in my heart. In a way, you kind of remind me of the best parts of her." R-Really? That's kinda… sweet of him.

Getting back on topic, he continued, "I know this seems out of place, but… that whole thing really showed me something. Even if the world conspires to bring you to despair, even if it tries to bring your friends down with you—you should do your best to rise above it, no matter what. Keep hoping through the night, and never lose sight of it. Kaede—I think you're the type of person who can do that. You're strong, and you keep us all together better than Hajime and I can. You're really everyone's hope here, you know?"

I blushed—j-jeez, did he have to word it like that!? "I-I don't know," I stammered out, "I haven't exactly been _that_ great. I mean, there was the Death Road of Despair," and boy, was that still painful to remember—I'm pretty sure I can still feel my nerves aching, "and everyone being so scattershot and all… I wouldn't say I'm 'everyone's hope' and all."

" _ **No, that's wrong!"**_ He shouted that so passionately, it was almost as if he had said that line multiple times before. (Now that I think about it, I say it sometimes too… And so does Hajime and Shuichi… Maybe it's a 'protagonist' thing? Whatever that means…) "You're a good person, Kaede! You shouldn't doubt yourself like that." He smiled a smile that honestly could've melted the Arctic. "I believe in you, and I know everyone else does, too—even if they don't show it! If we all just hope a little more, I know we'll be able to get out of here." He scratched the back of his head nervously. "T-That's what I think, anyway."

 _He… He really believes in me that much?_ I don't know if I can really live up to those expectations – or even if we'll be able to get out of here – but after hearing that… I have to give it my all to try.

I can't give up hope now. Our plan to catch the mastermind of this game may fail, and we may end up going over Monokuma's forced time limit, but I can't let that dissuade me. Monokuma can try, but he'll never be able to truly take away our unity. Our harmony.

Jeez… What have I been doing, just sitting here and feeling sorry for myself? That's not like me at all! I gotta stay determined – c'mon me, just think of a good piano song! Like… Debussy's 'Clair de Lune'! That always cheers me up! Yeah, yeah. Just let it play through your mind… (You know, I should really play it for Shuichi sometime… I think he'd like it.)

"You're right," I finally stated, putting a hand above my chest. "Here I am, telling Shuichi to be more confident in himself, when it's me that needs a little bit of that too. Heh heh… I'm kinda weird like that, huh?"

"N-No, no, it's alright!" Makoto denied, sweating a little. "Everyone needs a little bit of help every now and then! I'd know; my friends have helped me out from time to time." He smiled again at me. "Just so long as you never give up hope for yourself and your friends, I think you'll be fine!"

There's that word again. **Hope**. He really seems to believe in it, huh?

…Maybe I should start believing in it, too.

"Yeah. T-Thanks, Makoto," I said.

"No problem! I'm always happy to get a friend back on their feet. That reminds me… We should go hang out with somebody! I think there's still a few people about so… we should get to know them a little better!" Quickly, he got off my bed and started toward the door. "I'll meet you outside, okay Kaede?"

"O-Okay!" I agreed. I watched him open the door, walk outside, and then close it. I sat there, alone and silent, for just a little while. Nodding to myself, I slowly got out my backpack – the one I keep on me almost all the time – and opened it up. Carefully, I unwrapped the makeshift container I had made from my spare vest, and lifted the contents it was hiding out of my bag.

A single, heavy shot put ball.

I gazed into its metallic sheen for longer than I intended.

I was going to use this to help save everybody, but…

' _I believe in you, and I know everyone else does, too—even if they don't show it! If we all just hope a little more, I know we'll be able to get out of here.'_

…maybe I don't have to.

Shuichi's voice comes to mind, too…

' _I just… wanted to tell you. No matter what.'_

…he trusts me.

He must trust me a lot, since he revealed the whole hidden passageway to me and everything.

I… I can't abuse that trust. Not now.

Even if it'd help us take down the mastermind, I know he wouldn't want me to. I know it'd pain him if I did. So… I won't.

For him, I won't.

I got up, opened a drawer, and put the shot put ball in it.

Like Makoto said—I can't lose hope here. Even if it's clichéd, even if it's a little too idealistic… I'll believe. I'll believe we can get out of here, with my friends alive, with this Killing Game over.

I won't be scared. Not anymore.

With newly reinstated confidence, I closed up my backpack, hoisted it back over my shoulders, and waltzed toward the door. I'll make the most of the time I have, and never lose sight of hope.

That's a promise.

* * *

 **help guys**

 **drv3 is consuming my everything**

 **i've been trapped in this fandom for weeks**

 **help**

 _ **A-Ahem!**_

 **I haven't seen a fic yet that builds upon the 'protag-help' premise of DRV3's demo, so… here's a little two-shot to try and hopefully sate that. I don't think I could really do a full fic like this justice – I don't think I have it in me to even write a single case.**

 **I honestly think this scenario has a lot of potential, no matter how crack-y it may seem at first – and I honestly wish there are just a little more fics out there that try it. (At least, that I've seen anyway.) I was going to just make this a one-shot, but I felt like things would flow better if I split it up into two.**

 **As for why we don't just have Makoto and Hajime both rooming with Kaede… well, Shuichi's a protagonist too, no matter how later in the game that is. Plus, I feel like their personalities would better mesh with each other – you'll see next chapter, hopefully.**

 **Well, that's all for now – tune in next time for Shuichi and Hajime's conversation!**


	2. Shuichi & Hajime

**if it's your tale or mine**

 _ **Chapter 2  
**_ _Shuichi & Hajime_

(Uploaded on October 14, 2018)

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 **Notes:** This chapter is set around the same time as the previous one, _Kaede & Makoto_.

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 **[Shuichi]**

 **Dormitory – Shuichi's Room**

I placed another of those Hidden Monokuma plushes on my bottom shelf. Between me and Kaede, I believe that makes four we've found in all – two by Kaede, two by me. Admittedly, they do have a bit of a cute charm to them, much more than Monokuma himself. Honestly, I don't know why they're around the campus – Monokuma himself just gave a vague explanation about 'EXP' and 'level ups' that I don't really get – but they're harmless enough.

They gave me something to think about – away from masterminds and Killing Games and time limits.

"Found another Hidden Monokuma?" Hajime's voice asked from behind me. I turned around, and there he was, the self-proclaimed 'Reserve Course Student' (I honestly have no idea what that means beyond him not actually being an Ultimate… probably). He looked vaguely amused at the plush I was putting on my shelf. "I'm surprised you're going out of your way to collect them at all. I know I only bothered because I didn't have much else to do."

"Hey, there's _some_ merit to them," I defended. "They're… They're not half bad, really." It may also relate to my innate skills for evidence detecting, but that's something else entirely.

Hajime raised an eyebrow. "Whatever you say." It was clear he was disbelieving, but he didn't dispute my claims. (I doubt he could; he just said he collected them himself. Then again, it _is_ Monokuma…)

He looked over my small room, just as he did a few days ago during the first night, his eyes seeming to calculate something I couldn't comprehend. "…you know, despite everything, I kind of miss Jabberwock Island," he mused. "At the very least, it felt freer than this whole academy has been, Killing School Trip be damned. I don't know how Makoto ever handled being so… trapped like this."

"Well, I imagine that Monokuma didn't have any time to redevelop Jabberwock Island the way he would've liked it, compared to Hope's Peak Academy and this Ultimate Academy," I said. "I also imagine he had far less time to come up with motives, too. Didn't you say your first motive was fairly tame by his standards?"

Makoto and Hajime made mention of their own first motives to me and Kaede – a 'motive video' and a vague promise to cure amnesia, respectively. If the latter was any indication of the overall quality of his game's motives, he likely really did have an easier time. Not that that fact's gonna help us out now. "Yeah, actually. The first few motives, comparatively, weren't as bad. There _was_ the fourth 'motive', when he tried to starve us—" He briefly shuddered. That didn't sound like a fun time to me, either. "—but that was the worst of it, fortunately."

I frowned, tugging the brim of my cap down. "I wish I could say the same now. We've only got a day left before Monokuma decides to execute us. Everything hinges on whether or not my plan works out."

…I didn't like that. We shouldn't have to rely on just _me_ to not get everybody killed.

All we really have—when Miu gets done with them, anyway—are a bunch of cameras, a sensor, and the hopes that the mastermind will come to open the hidden passageway. Admittedly, it's not much, but…

…what else do we have?

And even then…

"I think we've got fairly good odds ourselves," Hajime offered. "In a situation like this, it's the best chance we have. You've done well, discovering all this information and acting upon it. You and Kaede really work well together."

"I don't know," I said, shifting my eyes away in nervousness. "It's… It's something anyone could do. You and Makoto probably could do it better." I mean, they managed to solve the mysteries of their own Killing Games. I don't think I'd be able to do that at all. "I'm just a detective-in-training. The title of **Ultimate Detective** … It's not really mine to have. There are plenty of other people who deserve it more than I do."

"Don't say that. You're better than you think you are, you know." He sat down beside me as I remained crouched by the partially-filled shelf. "I've been where you are before," he started saying. "I admired Ultimates and Hope's Peak Academy a lot. I desperately wanted to be like them, but in contrast to their amazing skills and personalities… I was just an ordinary, everyday person – a 'Reserve Course Student' compared to their 'Main Course'."

(For a minute, hearing the words 'ordinary, everyday person' cropped up images of… something else, _**a helmet with wires all over on my head in an attempt to—**_ but I quickly shook it off. What… What _was_ that?

Was that a memory?)

"I remember being a little jealous," Hajime continued recounting. "I wanted so much to be like them, and I believed without that without talent, I was pretty worthless." …well, I guess I can relate to that. "But my friends helped me realize that, in the end, it's not talent that matters—you just need to be true to yourself, and to not be afraid to move forward." He smiled a little. "I honestly don't know where I'd be without them."

"They sound like good friends," I said. "I only wish I could be as confident. Again, I—I don't really deserve my title. Not after… Not after what happened."

"Oh?" Hajime's brow ruffled. "Something from your past still haunting you?"

"…you could say that." My eyes were facing the ground now as I recalled the events of my first major case – a case I still can't get out of my head, even now. (The look on his face just keeps coming back—) "I had a case, once—" _My only real case, honestly—_ "where I managed to catch a murderer before the police did. But… the culprit actually only did it as revenge for what the victim did to his family. And the way he looked at me…

"…it was of absolute hatred."

…I still remember perfectly his furious glare. I see it too much. I could feel my face contorting in anxiety and fear, even now. I closed my eyes to try and shut the memory away. "…ever since then, I've been afraid of uncovering the truth. It's… It's just painful. Too painful. It's always too painful, because… it just hurts everyone around you. What's the point of uncovering it, if all it does is cause agony?"

My hands were shaking now, far more than I thought they'd be. "And—and what if that's what happens now? If uncovering the mastermind doesn't save us at all, and only serves to make us _hurt_ in our last moments? Whoever they are, they clearly have a level of influence far beyond anything we could ever imagine. Who's to say it'll help us… and that's even if my deductions are correct?" I was slouched down and lying over my knees now. I can only imagine what Kaede was thinking right now.

Kaede. She's somebody who's grown to become my best friend. She's so kind, and optimistic, and wonderful. If my deductions turn out to be wrong, or end up getting her hurt in the end… I know I'd never be able to forgive myself.

(I ignored the voice inside my mind whispering, _'Who's to say that won't end up happening anyway? After all, you're just a detective-in-training…')_

…I wish I didn't have to feel this way.

"Hey, don't be like that," Hajime tried to reassure me. "Just because you're worried about that doesn't mean it'll actually happen. C'mon, have a little faith in yourself." He nudged his body a little closer to me, patting my back. "You're doing the best you can under impossible circumstances. There's a lot of people—even the other Ultimates here—who can't handle things like this. You shouldn't mark yourself down for it." I looked at up his face; he was giving me a warm smile. Despite that… I still had my own personal doubts.

"But… what kind of detective is scared of finding the truth?"

"You said it yourself – you're still in training. You've got plenty of time to grow and become stronger. Kaede, Makoto, and I are here – and everybody else is, too. You've got us by your side to help you out, no matter where you go. So don't be afraid to look forward. There's always **a brighter future** to reach out to, even if it doesn't seem like it."

A brighter future, huh…?

Makoto's always saying similar stuff, now that I think about it. He says it so much, I think Kaede's getting influenced by it. (Not that that's a bad thing, of course.) It must be another side-effect of their own Killing Games; them finding something to look forward to.

All this talk about 'hope' and 'futures'… maybe I can at least try to believe a little more in them. For everyone's sake, for _Kaede's_ sake… If they've gotten Makoto and Hajime that far, then maybe there's some merit to them.

"…I'll try," I finally conceded. "I… I don't think it'll be easy, but… I'll try."

"That's good," Hajime smiled. "Besides, I'm sure Kaede wouldn't want you being all down like that. I'm sure she'd love to see your smile more, yeah? She _does_ talk about how pretty cute you are…"

And by that point I was in full 'absolutely flustered' mode. "Wh-Wha!?" I stammered, trying to handle the virtual bombshell Hajime just dropped on me. Me? Cute? Kaede!? _What!?_ H-He's joking, right!?

T-That can't be right at all!

He just laughed it off, as if he hadn't just done that on purpose. "Relax!" he said with a small grin on his face. "Man, you really do remind me a little about myself, way back when. Lighten up! _…man, is it also ironic saying that now…"_ he muttered that last part, before returning to "Hey, how 'bout we go see if anyone's around? I think hanging out with somebody will do wonders for you." He got up from his place on the floor and made his way toward the door. "I'll be right outside, alright?"

As I heard the door close behind him, I lifted my head and stared at one of the two Monokuma plushes sitting on my shelf. My mind was getting to thinking.

Hajime believes we'll be able to 'reach out to the future.' Makoto believes that if we keep hoping, we'll be able to get out. And Kaede…

She believes in the friends we've made, even if we haven't really known them for all that long. We haven't even known each other all that long either, but…

I trust her, and she trusts me.

(…maybe something even more than just trust.)

The three of them, they're so much stronger than I could ever hope to be. They're almost superhuman compared to me. They're the leaders in our scattered group of chaotic personalities – I'm basically just that guy sitting on the sidelines. (Because who really needs a detective that's afraid to do his job?) But… they haven't given up on me, for whatever reason. They want to support me, and hoist me up, and…

…I have to admit, I want to be a little stronger myself.

Someone who's truly worthy of being the Ultimate Detective.

(For Kaede, if nothing else.)

I walked over to the bathroom and looked myself over in the mirror. Slowly—and a little reluctantly—I brought my hand to the brim of my cap and took it off. Free from the confines of my hat was a slim, crescent ahoge, similar to the one Kaede sports around (though it's not as thick as Makoto's or Hajime's… or Keebo's)

It's something I don't think most people would expect me to have – and admittedly, I'm pretty insecure about it. It's—It's kind of dumb, I know.

Kaede said once that she'd like to see me without my hat sometime. Maybe, sometime in the future, I'll really be able to do that for her.

I put my cap back on my head and prepared to walk out of the dorm room myself. Kaede and Makoto will probably be outside hanging about, too. And if I'm being honest to myself, I do want to hang out with her more.

I guess… it couldn't hurt to go.

* * *

 **This chapter was a little harder to write since it's really my first time writing for either of these characters (what can I say, Makoto and Kaede are fun to write). I put these two together because they're are fairly down-to-earth and logical, and have a few insecurities relating to their talent – or in Hajime's case, his lack of one. Hopefully I managed to capture their personalities to a good degree.**

 **(As a side note, I haven't seen all of DR2 yet, so excuse me if I get a few facts wrong somehow. I probably shouldn't be trying to write this under those conditions, but—I love DRV3, so I'll try anyway!)**

 **I enjoyed writing this two-shot, and hopefully it'll inspire somebody out there to write more DRV3 Demo AUs. That might not happen – but it could, so I'll hope for that, at least.**

 **Well, that's all for now – see you next time!**


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